the black dog

you see the dog,
black and heavy, maybe old,
but still
wanting to chase the ball,
fall through
the wafer of ice.
the ball skimming
too far out to the center
of the pond.
he can't climb back
on, it's too thin
to hold him,
the ball too far away,
but he tries, he wants to
please his owner
who waits at the waters
edge, clapping his hands.
dry.